Fantasy football math:  more targets equals more receptions, yards and touchdowns for the receivers, tight ends and running backs being thrown to more often. You did not need to be in the Calculus Club in high school to understand this.

Pass catchers can only catch passes if plays are drawn up for them by their coaching staffs and quarterbacks throw their way. Therefore, one of the best ways to win at fantasy football is to stockpile players who will be targeted more than President Trump is targeted by Rachel Maddow.

Here are five players whose market share of targets is bound to increase in 2017:

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Bull Market

Quincy Enunwa, New York Jets

2016 Totals:  106 targets, 58 receptions, 857 receiving yards, 4 TD

Eric Decker is now in Tennessee, while Brandon Marshall is now in the Giants locker room on the other side of the stadium. Enunwa is left by his lonesome, surrounded by possibly the worst and most inexperienced receiving corps in the NFL. Unproven No. 2 WR Robbie Anderson is not going to get in his way, nor is Austin Seferian-Jenkins and the worst crew of tight ends in the league. Whether it is Josh McCown, Bryce Petty, Christian Hackenberg or Joe Namath, whomever the Jets’ starting signal caller is this season will undoubtedly be throwing at Enunwa a lot.

 

Jeremy Maclin, Baltimore Ravens

2016 Totals:  76 targets, 44 receptions, 536 receiving yards, 2 TD

After back-to-back 1,000-yard years, Maclin was slowed by a groin injury and an ineffective downfield passing offense in Kansas City and had the worst season of his career in 2016. He should get new life and more targets in Baltimore, where tight end Dennis Pitta and his team-high 119 targets last year will not be around. It is hard to see speedster Mike Wallace getting 117 targets again, either. Maclin, provided he stays healthy, should be in the triple digits in targets again in 2017.

 

Devin Funchess, Carolina Panthers

2016 Stats:  59 targets, 23 receptions, 371 receiving yards, 4 TD

Funchess did not exactly rack up yards in bunches during his first two pro seasons, but with Ted Ginn and Corey Brown no longer on the roster clogging up the spots ahead of him on the depth chart, Funchess will only have him himself to blame if his targets do not increase to the 80-90 range. Greg Olsen and Kelvin Benjamin will remain Cam Newton’s two top targets, but Funchess has a clear lane to become the No. 3 option and have the best year of short career this upcoming season.

 

Eric Ebron, Detroit Lions

2016 Stats:  86 targets, 61 receptions, 711 receiving yards, 1 TD

The time is now for Ebron to become a fantasy force or else he will have to labeled as an underachiever. His targets, receptions and yards have steadily increased during his first three seasons, so the way the trajectory is headed he should top 100 targets in 2017, provided he does something he has not been able to do in his career – avoid injuries. Anquan Boldin (95 targets in 2016) will not distract quarterback Matthew Stafford anymore, and starting wideouts Marvin Jones and Golden Tate are not the target whores other receiver combos are. Look for Ebron to set new career-highs across the board and score more than the one lone touchdown he had last season.

 

Corey Brown, Buffalo Bills

2016 Stats:  53 targets, 27 receptions, 276 yards, 0 TD

 Brown is more of a slot receiver thanks to his undersized frame (5’11”, 190), although he is only quick in small bursts and no threat at all downfield (10.2 ypc in 2017, no receptions over 50 yards in his three-year career). The good news for Brown is he signed with a Buffalo team whose No. 1 receiver is injury-prone Sammy Watkins and whose No. 2 receiver is untested second-rounder Zay Jones. Brown also comes from Carolina, which is where his new head coach, Sean McDermott is also coming from, so McDermott should trust Brown more than most of his receivers. Brown should only be looked at in deeper leagues, but his targets rise to the 80-100 range depending on Watkins’ health and how quickly Jones adapts to the NFL.

 

More 2017 Fantasy Football & ADP Analysis